Belfast rap trio Kneecap have apologised to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox after footage emerged appearing to show a band member saying: "Kill your local MP."
The controversial video from a November 2023 concert has prompted a counter-terrorism police investigation and condemnation from both Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
The band claims it has been the subject of a "smear campaign" following their outspoken views on Gaza.
In the video, a band member appeared to say: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP."
Counter-terrorism police are also examining footage from another concert in November 2024 where a member allegedly shouted "up Hamas, up Hezbollah" - groups banned as terrorist organisations in the UK.
Neither video has resulted in charges thus far against any of the trio, who are Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh.
Kneecap have apologised for their incendiary comments
Getty
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A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed they were made aware of the 2024 video on April 22, and it has been referred to the counter-terrorism internet referral unit for assessment.
Downing Street condemned the comments as "completely unacceptable" in "the strongest possible terms" and indicated there would be no further public funds directed towards the band.
Badenoch said Kneecap's "anti-British hatred has no place in our society" and called for prosecution.
In a statement posted on X, Kneecap said they "reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual".
KNEECAP STATEMENT:
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) April 28, 2025
They want you to believe words are more harmful than genocide.
Establishment figures, desperate to silence us, have combed through hundreds of hours of footage and interviews, extracting a handful of words from months or years ago to manufacture moral… pic.twitter.com/qZht5532Zf
They claimed footage had been "deliberately taken out of context" and was being "exploited and weaponised".
"To the Amess and Cox families, we send our heartfelt apologies, we never intended to cause you hurt," the statement read.
The band insisted they have "never supported Hamas or Hezbollah" and "condemn all attacks on civilians". However, Kneecap claimed they were facing a "coordinated smear campaign" after speaking out about Gaza in their statement.
"Establishment figures, desperate to silence us, have combed through hundreds of hours of footage and interviews, extracting a handful of words," they said.
The band insisted their message "has always been and remains one of love, inclusion, and hope."
"This is why our music resonates across generations, countries, classes and cultures," they added.
The band claimed the backlash was part of a coordinated smear campaign against them
Getty
Sir David's daughter Katie criticised the band, saying she was "gobsmacked at the stupidity" of people "saying such dangerous, violent rhetoric".
Labour MP David Taylor has written to Glastonbury Festival organisers urging them to remove Kneecap from this year's line-up.
DUP MP Carla Lockhart called for the band to be denied entry to the USA and Canada ahead of their North America tour.
She welcomed their apology but said it "very much screams sorry because they were caught".
The band faced criticism in the US over their recent performance at Coachella, where they displayed messages reading "Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people" and "F*** Israel. Free Palestine".
Last year, Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK government after it withdrew arts funding for the band.
They were awarded £14,250 after the government conceded the decision to refuse them funding was "unlawful".
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